Pattern controllers for active beam

ABSTRACT

Pattern controllers located in discharge slots of an active beam comprise a series of planar paddles hinged on an axis disposed at an angle to the planar surface of a side of the discharge slot thereby producing discharged air displacement in both the horizontal and vertical directions when the paddles are rotated.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS

This patent application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/804,792, filed Mar. 25, 2013, which is hereby incorporated by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to active heating and cooling beams, and more particularly relates to an active beam with output directional pattern controllers in the discharge slots of the active beam.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Active heating/cooling beams are mounted near the ceiling of an occupied space and use the air flow of a central heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system to increase the output of a heating/cooling coil in the active beam. Unlike radiant panels and chilled sails, which rely primarily on thermal radiation to condition an occupied space, active beams heat or cool a space through induction and forced convection. An active beam receives dry air from the central ventilation system (primary supply air) through a pressurized plenum. The primary supply air is then forced through nozzles in order to create a high velocity air pattern in a mixing chamber adjacent to the heating/cooling coil. The high velocity causes a reduction in the local static pressure in the mixing chamber in the active beam, thereby inducing room air to be drawn through the heating/cooling coil and into the mixing chamber of the active beam. The induced air then mixes with the primary supply air, and the mixture of primary air and induced air is discharged back into the space via discharge linear slots along the beam.

In order to produce efficient, quiet, draft free performance from the active beam, the mixed air, when discharged through the discharge slots of the active beam, should preferably spread evenly from the discharge slots for a short distance (throw distance) and remain adjacent the ceiling of the occupied space (the Coanda effect). Such a discharge pattern ensures the best combination of efficiency, quiet operation, and draft free performance.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In order to create an optimized discharge pattern from an active beam, directional pattern controllers constructed of plastic or metal are installed in the discharge slots of the active beam. Each pattern controller constitutes a series of hinged planar paddles. Each paddle or bank of paddles is hinged on an axis that is offset at about 60°±20° from a plane extending parallel to each of the sides of the discharge slots. In addition, the axis is oriented essentially parallel to end panels of the active beam where the end panels are connected to the ends of the active beam and are perpendicular to the plane of the sides of the discharge slots. Each paddle rotates about the offset axis between −45° to +45° of rotation and is adjustable between −45° to +45° degrees of rotation in 15° increments, although larger or smaller increments may be used. Because of the angle of the offset axis, each paddle moves at a double compound angle thereby changing the orientation of the paddle's planar surface both with respect to sides of the discharge slots and respect to the end panels of the active beam.

In one embodiment of the invention, the paddles are ganged together in groups of four along the length of each discharge slot of the active beam instead of a series of individual paddles along the length of each discharge slot of the active beam. In that way, the installer of the active beam can more quickly adjust the groups of four to customize the distribution of conditioned air from the discharge slot of the active beam to match the conditions of the occupied space. Individually adjusted paddles as well as ganged configurations with any number of paddles are within the scope of the present invention.

Further objects, features and advantages will become apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description of the invention when taken in conjunction with the drawings and the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a bottom perspective view of an active beam attached to a ceiling in an occupied space with directional pattern controllers in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an end section view of the active beam with directional pattern controllers in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a bank of four paddles of the directional pattern controller in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a side elevation view of the bank of four paddles in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a front elevation view of the bank of four paddles in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a front elevation view of the bank of four paddles in accordance with the present invention and is similar to FIG. 5 except that the bank of four paddles has been rotated forward 60° so that the axis of rotation for each paddle is horizontal.

FIG. 7 is a bottom view of the bank of four paddles in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a chart showing the spread pattern and throw distance of the active beam with pattern controllers in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a chart showing the spread pattern and throw distance of the active beam without pattern controllers.

FIG. 10 a graph comparing the capacity of the active beam with pattern controllers in accordance with the present invention to conventional active beams without pattern controllers.

FIG. 11 a graph comparing the sound performance of the active beam with pattern controllers in accordance with the present invention to conventional active beams without pattern controllers.

FIG. 12 is a chart showing four typical spread patterns and throw distances of the active beam with pattern controllers.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Turning to FIGS. 1 and 2, an elongated active beam 10 is shown. The active beam 10 comprises a housing 12 having a top panel 14, side panels 16 extending downwardly from the top panel 14 on each side of the active beam 10, outside skirts 18 extending downwardly from the side panels 16, and end panels 19. The end panels 19 are oriented perpendicular to the length of the active beam 10, are fastened to ends 17 of the active beam 10, and seal the ends 17 of the active beam 10. An end panel plane oriented parallel with each of the perpendicularly connected end panels 19 provides a plane of reference for the orientation of pattern controllers 40.

An internal plenum panel 21 with air plenum sections 23 is connected to the side panels 16, and the internal plenum panel 21 together with the top panel 14 form a primary air plenum 22. The air plenum sections 23 and the outside skirts 18 are coplanar and together comprise outer sides of discharge slots 34. A discharge plane oriented parallel with air plenum section 23 and the outside skirt 18 provides a plane of reference for the orientation of the pattern controllers 40. Separator panels 20 extend substantially parallel to the outside skirts 18 and the air plenum sections 23 (the discharge plane) on either side of the active beam 10. The separator panels 20 comprise inner sides of discharge slots 34 on either side of the active beam 10. In addition, the separator panels 20 define a return air intake 30 at the center of the active beam 10 between the separator panels 20. A decorative grille 32 covers the return air intake 30. A heating/cooling coil 28 is mounted above the grille 32 and in the path of room air entering the housing 12 from the occupied space through the return air intake 30 and into a mixing chamber 36 adjacent the heating/cooling coil 28.

In operation, primary conditioned air is connected to the plenum 22 through a primary air inlet 24, which is connected to an HVAC system (not shown) that produces dry, conditioned air for heating or cooling the occupied space beneath the active beam 10. The conditioned air in the pressurized plenum 22 is discharged through induction nozzles 26 at high velocity into the mixing chamber 36. The low pressure created in the mixing chamber 36 by the high velocity air from the nozzles 26 induces the flow of room air into the mixing chamber 36 through the return air intake 30 and through the heating/cooling coil 28. The mixture of conditioned air and room air is then discharged into the discharge slots 34 in an initial direction parallel to the sides of the discharge slots 34 (parallel to the discharge plane) and parallel to the end panels 19 of the active beam 10 (parallel to the end panel plane).

In order to control the distribution of the mixture of air discharged from the discharge slots 34, the directional pattern controllers 40 are positioned within the discharge slots 34. Each directional pattern controller 40 comprises a series of hinged, planar paddles 46 installed along the length of the discharge slots 34. Each paddle 46 has a hinge edge 56, a separator edge 58, a lower edge 60, and an outside edge 62.

In order to install the directional pattern controllers 40 in the discharge slots 34, a mounting base 42 is attached to the air plenum section 23 on each side of the active beam 10. The mounting base 42 extends along the length of the active beam 10. A series of triangular hinge plates 44 are mounted on the mounting base 42 and are spaced evenly along the length of the active beam 10. Each hinge plate 44 is a planar plate in the shape of a right triangle with a hypotenuse 45. The plane of the hinge plate is oriented perpendicular to the air plenum section 23 (perpendicular to the discharge plane) and parallel to the plane of the perpendicularly mounted end panels 19 (parallel to the end panel plane). The hypotenuse 45 of the mounting base 42 is oriented at approximately a 60°±20° angle to the air plenum section 23 (the discharge plane) and is oriented parallel to the end panels 19 (the end panel plane). Therefore, the hypotenuse 35 is oriented at approximately a 60°±20° angle to the initial air flow direction as the discharge air enters the discharge slots 34. A hinge 50 positioned along the hypotenuse 45 of the hinge plate 44 defines an axis of rotation 51 and rotatably connects the hinge edge 56 of the paddle 46 to the hinge edge 45 of the hinge plate 44.

FIGS. 3-7 show a ganged group of four paddles 46 a-46 d. The four paddles are connected by means of a connecting rod 54 attached to the lower corner of each paddle 46 a-46 d. One of the paddles, paddle 46 c, represents a master paddle that controls the positioning of the other slave paddles 46 a, 46 b, and 46 d by means of the connecting rod 54. The angular position of the master paddle 46 c is maintained by means of an index keeper 52 comprising a set of notches 53 that engage the outside edge 62 of the master paddle 46 c. Particularly, the notches 53 engage the outside edge 62 of the master paddle 46 c to retain the master paddle 46 c in rotational increments of 15° between −45° and +45° of rotation about the hinge 50 c (the axis of rotation 51). Other rotational increments and range of rotation are well within the scope of the present invention. Further, as previously indicated, each individual paddle could be associated with its own index keeper 52 so that each individual paddle 46 could be individually adjusted.

Because the hinge 50 (and the axis of rotation 51) is set at approximately a 60°±20° angle to the air plenum sections 23 (the discharge plane) and parallel to the end panels 19 (the end panel plane), the rotation of the paddle 46 about the hinge 50 causes the plane of the paddle 46 to move along a double compound angle with both vertical and horizontal displacement (i.e. displacement perpendicular to the end panel plane and displacement perpendicular to the discharge plane). The double compound angle helps assure that the air passing through the discharge slots 34 is properly directed to ensure the best combination of efficiency, quiet operation, and draft free performance.

One performance parameter relates to the Coanda effect at low air flows/pressure. The Coanda effect refers to the tendency of the discharged air to move along the ceiling of the occupied space. Because of the double compound angle rotation of the paddles 46, the paddles 46 can be positioned to maintain the Coanda pattern at lower static pressures.

Another performance parameter relates to the throw and spread of the discharged air as the air leaves the discharge slots 34. Particularly, throw refers to the distance that air travels perpendicularly away from the active beam along the ceiling of the occupied space, and spread refers to the travel of the air parallel to the active beam along the ceiling of the occupied space. The air should spread as uniformly as possible over a short throw distance to ensure even heating of the occupied space. FIG. 8 depicts the spread pattern of an 8 foot long active beam 10 with the pattern controllers 40, and FIG. 9 depicts the spread pattern and 8 foot long active beam 10 without the pattern controllers 40. Both charts depict the air flow of the active beam 10 at a velocity of 50 feet per minute (fpm). The ceiling of the occupied space is represented by the chart with each division being one square foot. Consequently, the area inside the line on the chart charts in FIGS. 8 and 9 indicates the spread and throw of the air from the 8 foot active beam 10. The active beam 10 in FIG. 8 with pattern controllers 40 has a throw of approximately 8 feet and a spread of approximately 12 feet. By comparison, the active beam 10 in FIG. 9 without pattern controllers 40 has a throw of approximately 14 feet and a spread of less than 8 feet, the length of the active beam 10. Because of the double compound angle rotation of the paddles 46, the paddles 46 can be positioned to produce a spread that is very even (see FIG. 8), and the presence of the paddles 46 can effectively halve the throw distance for a discharge velocity of the 50 feet per minute (fpm) as compared to a conventional active beam without the paddles 46 (FIG. 9).

Capacity is also an important performance parameter. FIG. 10 shows the cooling capacity of an active beam in three configurations: a conventional active beam without pattern controllers 40 (line 104), an active beam 10 with metal paddles 46 (line 100), and an active beam 10 with plastic injection molded paddles 46 (line 102). The X-axis of the graph shows air flow through the active beam 10 measured in cubic feet per minute of air flow per length in feet of the active beam. The Y-axis of the graph shows the heat transfer by the active beam 10 measured in BTU per hour per length of the active beam 10. Consequently, FIG. 10 demonstrates that the capacity, the heat transferred per hour at various air flows, of the active beam is not degraded by the addition of the pattern controllers 40.

Sound is a further operating parameter that should be considered for the active beam 10. FIG. 11 shows the sound performance of the active beam 10 in three configurations: a conventional active beam without pattern controllers (line 104), the active beam 10 with metal paddles 46 (line 100), and the active beam 10 with plastic injection molded paddles 46 (line 102). The X-axis of the graph shows static pressure of the air in the plenum 22 of the active beam 10 measured in inches of water. The Y-axis of the graph shows the noise created by the active beam 10 measured in Noise Criteria (NC) levels. Again, the difference in sound performance is not significantly degraded by the use of the pattern controllers 40.

Because many configurations for aligning the pattern controllers exist, installers can set up the spread pattern and throw distances on a case by case basis to optimize capacity, sound, and spread and throw. The images in FIG. 12 show some typical spread and throw patterns.

While this invention has been described with reference to preferred embodiments thereof, it is to be understood that variations and modifications can be affected within the spirit and scope of the invention as described herein and as described in the appended claims. 

I claim:
 1. In an active beam with a discharge slot having inner sides and outer sides that define a discharge plane oriented parallel to one of the sides of the discharge slot, the discharge slot further having perpendicularly connected end panels defining an end panel plane, pattern controllers comprising: a. a series of planar paddles located in the discharge slot of the active beam and connected to one of the sides of the discharge slot, each planar paddle hinged for rotation about an axis oriented at an angle to the discharge plane; and b. an index keeper for maintaining the rotational position of at least one of the series of the hinged paddle.
 2. The pattern controllers of claim 1, wherein the axis is also oriented parallel to the end panel plane.
 3. The pattern controllers of claim 2, wherein the each planar paddle rotates about the axis between −45° and +45° from a position parallel the end panel plane.
 4. The pattern controllers of claim 3, wherein the angle of the axis is set at approximately a 60°±20° angle to the discharge plane.
 5. The pattern controllers of claim 1, wherein the each planar paddle rotates about the axis between −45° and +45° from a position parallel the end panel plane.
 6. The pattern controllers of claim 5, wherein the angle of the axis is set at approximately a 60°±20° angle to the discharge plane.
 7. The pattern controllers claim 1, wherein the series of planar paddles are connected to the outer side of the discharge slot.
 8. The pattern controllers of claim 7, wherein the angle of the axis is set at approximately a 60°±20° angle to the discharge plane.
 9. The pattern controllers of claim 1, wherein a plurality of planar paddles in the series of planar paddles are connected for simultaneous rotation and wherein one of the plurality of planar paddles engages the index keeper for maintaining the rotational position of the plurality of planar paddles. 